Xerography is a dry photocopying process that uses electrostatic charges to transfer images onto paper. It was invented by Chester Carlson in 1938 and relies on a photoconductive surface that becomes charged when exposed to light. The areas that receive light lose their charge, while the dark areas retain it, allowing toner to stick only to the desired image. The toner, a fine powder, is then applied to the charged areas and transferred to paper. Finally, heat is used to fuse the toner to the paper, creating a permanent copy. This method is widely used in copiers and laser printers today.